Card including instructions for making a product and method of making such card

ABSTRACT

A card such as a greeting card or post card to which both artwork and instructions for creating a product, such as a food recipe, may be applied. The card includes a weakened, frangible portion forming at least one sever line, along which the card may be severed into two segments. One of the segments contains the instructions and may be placed in a file box or other receptacle for future reference. A method for applying the artwork and instructions to the card is also disclosed.

The instant application is a continuation-in-part application related toapplication Ser. No. 09/443,962, filed Nov. 19, 1999 for “CARD INCLUDINGINSTRUCTIONS FOR MAKING A PRODUCT AND METHOD OF MAKING SUCH CARD”. Thesubject matter of such application is incorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to cards, such as greeting cardsand postcards, that include instructions for creating a product, such asa recipe for making food. The invention also relates to a method ofmaking such a card.

Greeting cards and post cards have conventionally included artwork andtextual messages such as poetic expressions, humor, concern for one'swell being, quotes from famous persons, and information about points orpersons of interest.

It is known that such cards may include serrated lines along which thecard may be torn and that the detached portion of the card may includereceipts and personal checks and other negotiable instruments or mayinclude return thank you cards. It is also known that such cards mayinclude a series of serrated or perforated lines along which the cardmay be torn such that the detached portion contains the signature of aperson sending the card, and such that the card may be reused and signedin another location by another person. Also, it is known that greetingcards may include tabs or pockets to hold business cards, photographs,and recipe cards.

It is further known that recipe books may be created by obtainingphotographs and other artwork pertaining to commercial enterprises,sometimes with photographs and artwork being provided by the commercialenterprise, and sometimes with recipes being provided by the commercialenterprise.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a card such as a greeting card or postcard to which both artwork and instructions for creating a product, suchas a food recipe, may be applied. The card includes a weakened,frangible portion forming at least one sever line, along which the cardmay be severed into two segments. One of the segments contains theinstructions and may be placed in a file box or other receptacle forfuture reference. A method for applying the artwork and instructions tothe card is also disclosed.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention will be described with reference the accompanyingdrawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a single sheet, single fold card thatmay be used in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the top surface of a single fold card that maybe used in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the single fold cardshown in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a plan view of one surface of a single fold card that may beused in the present invention;

FIG. 5 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the single fold cardshown in FIG. 4;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of one surface of a single fold card that may beused in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the card shown in FIG.6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a two sheet single fold card that may beused in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a modified version of the card shown inFIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is a top view of the card shown in FIGS. 8 and 9;

FIG. 11 is a plan view of one surface of a card that may be used inconnection with the present invention;

FIG. 12 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the card shown in FIG.11;

FIG. 13 is a plan view of one surface of a double fold card that may beused in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 14 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the card shown in FIG.13;

FIG. 15 is a plan view of one surface of another double fold card thatmay be used in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 16 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the card shown in FIG.15;

FIG. 17 is a plan view of one surface of yet another double fold cardthat may be used in connection with the present invention;

FIG. 18 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the card shown in FIG.17;

FIG. 19 is a plan view of one surface of another single fold card thatmay be used in connection with the present invention; and

FIG. 20 is a plan view of the reverse surface of the card shown in FIG.19.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

The invention will be described with reference to the accompanyingdrawings wherein like reference numerals refer to the same item. It isto be clearly understood that this preferred embodiment is provided fordescriptive purposes only and is not meant to unduly limit the scope ofthe inventive concept. Other embodiments are included within theinventive concept as set forth in the appended claims.

There is shown in FIG. 1 a single fold card 10 formed from a planarsheet of a material, such as paper, in a rectangular configuration. Thecard 10 is folded along a straight fold line 12 extending from onelongitudinal edge to the other longitudinal edge of the card, midwaybetween, and parallel to, the lateral edges.

It should be appreciated that the present invention may be utilized withcards having other configurations and with cards having more than onefold line and may also be utilized with cards having panels that aresecured together in a book form by stitching, staples, glue, or otherfastening mechanisms, instead of a single sheet formed into two panelsby means of a fold line.

FIGS. 2 and 3 depict a greeting card 14 similar to the card shown inFIG. 1. The greeting card 14 includes a fold line 16, similar in allrespects to the fold line 12 of the card shown in FIG. 1. As shown inFIG. 2, the card 14 includes a front cover panel 18, an inside coverpanel 20, an inside rear panel 22, and a rear cover panel 24. The frontcover panel 12 may include, for example, printed words comprising agreeting or salutation or other message, may include artwork, and mayinclude the name of a business enterprise. The artwork may include, forexample, photographs or paintings. The artwork may depict a scene suchas a national monument, a famous person, animals, landscapes, etc. Theartwork also may depict a scene associated with a commercial enterprise,such as a ski area, a hotel, a restaurant dining room, a horse barn,etc. The artwork may also be abstract or may depict humorous situations.Other types of artwork useful in connection with the present inventionwill be readily apparent to those skilled in the art of designinggreeting cards. The inside cover panel 20 includes printed instructionsfor creating a product that is preferably intended to be implemented bythe recipient of the card 14. The instructions preferably constitute afood recipe, but may also include how to cut and sew clothing patterns,how to make a wreath or other festive article, how to spread mulch intoa garden, how to build a trellis, or how to make a handicraft. Theinside rear panel 22 may be blank for the card sender to write apersonal message or may contain poetry, words of concern, or informationrelative to either the material depicted on the front cover panel 18 orto the whereabouts of the sender. The rear cover panel 24 typically issubstantially blank, with a bar code, copyright notice, and informationrespecting the card manufacturer or distributor.

The card 14 as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 also includes a weakened orfrangible portion defined by a scored line or a series of serrations orperforations forming a line 26. In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 2 and 3the line 26 is coextensive with the fold line 16, but as will beappreciated from a further description of the invention, line 26 neednot be coextensive with the fold line 16. Although the serrations orperforations may extend completely through the card 14, preferably theserrations or perforations extend into the card from only one surface,and also preferably do not extend into a surface bearing artwork.

A recipient of the card 14 may tear or sever the card 14 along the severline 26 such that card 14 is detached into two segments and preferablyso that one of the segments substantially bears the entire instructionsfor making a product. Also preferably the segment bearing theinstructions will also bear at least a substantial portion of theartwork. By severing the card 14, the recipient of the card 14 may placethe detached segment bearing the instructions into a file box or otherreceptacle for further reference. For example, if the instructionsconstitute a food recipe, the card segment may be placed in a foodrecipe book or card file box. Although the detached segment may have anyconfiguration, further preferably, the detached segment is fashioned ina relatively standard configuration (such as a rectangular three inch byfive inch dimension) that conforms to the conventional sizes for similartypes of cards or file boxes. Also, it is preferable that the detachedsegment bearing the instructions also bears the artwork, including anycommercial enterprise name, so that later use of the detached segmentwill remind the user of the origins of the segment and of the commercialenterprise. Preferably the artwork and information are applied to thecard by conventional printing processes.

The artwork for a card may be provided by a commercial enterprise andused with its authorization, or the artwork may be obtained by the cardmanufacturer, preferably with the prior authorization of the commercialenterprise. Also, the instructions used conjointly with such artwork arepreferably utilized with the authorization of the commercial enterprise,and may be even provided by the commercial enterprise. For example, theinstructions might be a recipe for preparing the XYZ Dude Ranch'sYuletide egg nog and the artwork on the front cover panel 18 of the card14 might include a picture of the Dude Ranch's horse barn with a horsedrawn sleigh.

There is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5 a card 28 that is similar to the card 10as shown in FIG. 1. The card 28 includes a fold line 30 similar in allrespects to the fold line 12. The card 28 also includes a scored,serrated, or perforated line 32 that is spaced slightly from, andparallel to, the fold line 30.

There is shown in FIGS. 6 and 7 a card 34 that is similar to the card 10as shown in FIG. 1. The card 34 possesses a fold line 36 in all respectssimilar to the fold line 12 of the card 10. As shown in FIG. 7, the cardincludes a scored, perforated, or serrated line 38 that is coextensivewith the fold line 36. The card 34 also includes a pair of two otherfold lines 40, 42, that are spaced slightly from each other and extendperpendicularly from the fold line 38 to a lateral edge of the card 34.By severing the card 34 along the fold lines 38,40,42, four segmentswill be created, including a relatively large rectangular segment, twoidentically configured, intermediate size rectangular segments, and afourth, small, narrow rectangular segment. The two intermediate sizerectangular segments may each bear instructions for making a product,such as a food recipe. The instructions may be identical, or they mayrelate to different products, such as a recipe for egg nog and a recipefor cinnamon rolls. If the instructions are identical, it is intendedthat the card recipient may pass the duplicate instruction along to arelative, friend, or acquaintance.

FIGS. 8-10 show another type of card 44 that may be used in connectionwith the present invention. The card comprises two sheets, 46, 48, ofmaterial, such as paper that have substantially similar configurations,that are placed in a substantially “planar”, overlapping relationshipand are folded along a common fold line 50. It should be appreciatedthat sever lines such as those previously described may be placed oneither or both of the sheets 46, 48.

FIGS. 11 and 12 show a card 52 that may be used in connection with thepresent invention. The card 52 comprises a single sheet of material andis designed not to be folded, such as a post card. The front surface ofthe card 52, as shown in FIG. 11 preferably includes artwork, and thereverse side shown in FIG. 12 preferably includes printed instructionswithin the boundary of the rectangularly shaped sever lines 54. Bytearing or severing along the sever lines 54, the card 52 will besevered into two segments, one of which bears the instructions on onesurface, and the other surface preferably bearing artwork.

FIGS. 13 and 14 show a card 56 that may be used in connection with thepresent invention. The card 56 comprises a single sheet of materialpossessing two spaced, parallel fold lines 58, 60 which divide the cardinto substantially equal rectangular segments. The fold line 60 is alsoscored, serrated, or perforated whereby a substantially rectangularshaped flap portion 61 may be severed from the remaining portion of thecard 56. The flap portion 61 bears the printed instructions for making aproduct on one surface thereof, and may include artwork on the othersurface thereof.

There is shown in FIGS. 15 and 16 another card 62 that may be used inconnection with the present invention. The card 62 comprises a singlesheet of material and includes two spaced, parallel fold lines 64, 66which divide the card 62 into two substantially equal rectangularsegments. The fold line 66 is also scored, serrated, or perforatedwhereby a substantially rectangular shaped flap portion containingsegments 67 and 69 may be separated from the remainder of the card 62.The card 62 also includes a scored, serrated, or perforated line 68extending substantially perpendicular to the fold line 66 approximatelytwo-thirds to three-quarters of the distance along the fold line 66. Thescore line 68 extends from the fold line 66 to the adjacent-most lateraledge of the card 62 and divides the flap portion into the tworectangularly shaped segments 67, 69. The segment 67 may bear printedinstructions for making a product on one surface thereof, and artwork onthe other side thereof. The segment 69 may include information such asthat normally contained on a business card, such as person's name, theperson's company name, the person's job title, the company address, andtelecommunications contact information for the person or company.Alternately, the segment 69 may also bear printed instructions formaking a product on one surface thereof and may include artwork on theother surface thereof, that is similar to or different from the printedinstructions and artwork on the segment 67.

FIGS. 17 and 18 show yet another card 70 that may be used in connectionwith the present invention. The card 70 comprises a single sheet ofmaterial possessing two spaced, parallel fold lines 72, 74 which dividethe card into substantially equal rectangular segments. The fold line 74is also scored, serrated, or perforated whereby a substantiallyrectangular shaped flap portion may be severed from the remainingportion of the card 70. The flap portion contains three rectangularsegments 75, 77, 79 and printed instructions for making a product on onesurface thereof, and includes artwork on the other surface thereof.

Segment 75, 77, 79 may be separated from the remainder of the card 70 bytearing along perforated fold line 74. Spaced, parallel perforationlines 76, 78 extend from the fold line 74 to the adjacent-most lateraledge of the card 70. The first perforation line 76 extends atapproximately two-fifths of the distance along the fold line 74, and thesecond perforation line 78 extends from a point approximatelyfour-fifths of the distance along the fold line 74. The segments 75, 77are approximately of equal, rectangular size, and segment 79 is of arectangular size having approximately one-half the height and the samewidth as the other rectangular shaped segments 75, 77. Each of thesegments 75, 77, 79 may bear the same or different printed instructionsfor making a product, and the other side of each segment 75, 77, 79 maybear the same or different artwork. Alternately, the segment 79 may bearlittle or no information, and may be discarded as scrap. Alsoalternatively, one of the segments 75, 77, may bear information such asthat normally contained on a business card, as described above.

FIGS. 19 and 20 show another single fold card 80 that may be used inconnection with the present invention. The card 80 comprises a singlesheet of material possessing a central fold line 82 that laterallybisects the card 80 into substantially equal rectangular segments. Oneof the rectangular shaped segments further contains three rectangularsegments 84, 86, 88. The three segments 84, 86, 88 may be separated fromthe remainder of the card 80 by tearing along a perforated sever line 90that may be scored, serrated, or perforated. The sever line 90 is spacedslightly from and is parallel to the fold line 82. The three rectangularsegments 84, 86, 88 may be further separated from each other by tearingalong two sever lines 92, 94 that may each be scored, severed, orperforated. The first sever line 92 is spaced from and parallel to thesever line 90, and the second sever line 94 extends perpendicular to thesever line 92 toward the adjacent-most lateral edge of the card 80. Thesecond sever line 94 extends approximately two-thirds of the distancealong the sever line 92 and along the lateral edge of the card 80.

Preferably the segment 84 includes a “v”- shaped sever line 96 that mayscored, serrated or perforated and that is located near one longitudinalend thereof. Also, a hole 98 may extend through the segment 84 adjacentto the v-shaped sever line 96 and slightly closer to the longitudinalend of the segment 84. Both the v-shaped sever line 96 and the hole 98are centrally disposed midway between the parallel lateral edges of thesegment 84. It will be appreciated that the segment 84 may be utilizedas a book mark. The hole 98 is adapted so as to receive colored stringor a tassel (not shown) as is often utilized with bookmarks. Also, thev-shaped sever line 96 may form a flap or tongue that is used to hookone or more pages of the book so as to selectively hold the bookmark ata selected location in the book. The segment 84 may bear printedinformation conveying to the reader that the segment 84 is to be used asa bookmark (such as the word “bookmark”), and may include artwork.

The segment 86 preferably possesses a three inch by five inch dimensionand preferably includes on one surface thereof printed instructions formaking a product, such as a recipe, and preferably the other surfacethereof bears artwork.

Lastly, the segment 88 may bear information such as that normallycontained on a business card, as described above.

The invention has been described with reference to greeting cards andpost cards. As used herein, the term “greeting cards” conventionallyencompasses birthday cards, anniversary cards, mother's day and father'sday cards, thank you cards, get well cards, wish-you-were-here-cards,hello cards, bereavement cards, thinking-of-you cards, Valentine's Daycards, friendship cards, holiday cards, and other cards typically foundin “greeting card” sections of supermarkets and other retail stores. Theterm “post cards” refers to a single sheet, unfolded, planar cardusually delivered by mail and usually relating to a hotel, a resort, ahistorical point of interest, or to a geographic location.

It is to be understood, however, that even though numerouscharacteristics and advantages of the present invention have been setforth in the foregoing description, together with details of thestructure and function of the invention, the disclosure is illustrativeonly, and changes may be made in detail, especially in matters ofmaterials, shape, size and arrangement of parts within the principles ofthe invention to the full extent indicated by the broad general meaningof the terms in which the appended claims are expressed.

Although particular embodiments of the present invention have beendescribed and illustrated herein, it should be recognized thatmodifications and variations may readily occur to those skilled in theart and that such modifications and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit and scope of my invention. Consequently, myinvention as claimed below may be practiced otherwise than asspecifically described above.

What is claimed is:
 1. A greeting card comprising: (a) a sheet ofmaterial, said sheet possessing at least two spaced, substantiallyparallel fold lines extending substantially entirely thereacross fromone edge to another edge whereby the sheet may be folded into a firstpanel, a second panel, and a third panel, said first panel bearingartwork, said sheet bearing instructions for creating a product, saidinstructions adapted to be followed by a recipient of said greetingcard, said sheet further possessing a substantially weakened, frangibleportion defined substantially by at least one sever line, whereby saidsheet is adapted to be severed along said weakened portion into a firstsegment and a detached second segment, and said weakened portion beinglocated such that when said sheet is so severed, said second detachedsegment bears substantially entirely said instructions and said detachedsecond segment is adapted to be retained by the recipient at a locationseparate from the location of said first segment.
 2. A greeting cardaccording to claim 1 wherein said at least one sever line issubstantially formed of a series of serrations or perforations.
 3. Agreeting card according to claim 1 wherein said at least one sever lineis substantially coextensive with one of said fold lines.
 4. A greetingcard according to claim 3 wherein said at least one sever line issubstantially formed of a series of serrations or perforations.
 5. Agreeting card according to claim 1 wherein there are at least two severlines, a first one of which is substantially coextensive with one ofsaid fold lines, and a second sever line which is substantiallyperpendicular to said first sever line.
 6. A greeting card according toclaim 5 wherein each of said two sever lines is substantially formed ofa series of serrations or perforations.
 7. A greeting card according toclaim 1 wherein said detached second segment is substantiallyrectangular.
 8. A greeting card according to claim 1 wherein said firstsegment may also be detached and wherein said detached first segmentbears at least three categories of information selected from the groupof categories consisting of: a company name, a company address,telecommunications contact with a company, a person's name, and aperson's job title.